REMEMBERING THE "CLONES"!

The STAR WARS saga movie screenings continue this early pm today on the UK's ITV 1 digital and terrestrial channels with ATTACK OF THE CLONES in the HD spotlight, and which will no doubt look gorgeous even in its pan and scan presentation.

Long before it became the seemingly fashionable norm for film critics, Prequel Haters and so-called geek chic celebrity fans to slag the second episode of the new Trilogy off with such thorough disdain, I recall the very enthusiastic response the film got from critics during the first UK press screening at the ODEON Leicester Square in London several weeks before it officially opened worldwide. The cinema, a 2,100 seater, was packed to the rafters with eager people wanting to see the next STAR WARS chapter-and there was a great atmosphere as we all got ready to see it at 10am. It was like being at one of the heady, riotous British Children's Film Foundation movie screenings of the 1970's, when boys would be dropping gunge and ice lolly sticks from the top rows onto the girls hair below them in the stalls, or like the scene where the Gremlins are all watching Snow White! As the film started I recall the cheer with the STAR WARS logo and opening titles, the murmuring excitement of the assassination attempt on Padme's life, the quiet "oohhs" seeing in the arrival of Obi and Anakin at Padme's apartment, some intrigued murmurings of "It's Jar Jar Binks!" when he turned up on screen (plus some later "Oh no's" when he was given that clever scene in the Senate!), followed by a good laugh when Padme kinda brushed him aside to do his political duties, plus some giggles when Obi said "possibly" when he was talking with Anakin about his Jedi abilities, another huge laugh when Obi then sent off Elan Sleazebaggano from the sports bar, the bitchy "oohhhs" when Padme first rebuffed Anakin at the Varykino safehouse on Naboo, and the excitement when Yoda and the Clones arrived in the stadium (you could feel the enthusiasm in the air and surprise at how that opening battle was unfolding). Then the cheers when Anakin had the second lightsaber thrown to him and he tackled Dooku, and then the audience rip-roaring when Yoda took on Dooku in the hangar. And, most noticably, when the film ended and the credits went up there was an appreciative applause.

That was the film screening for ATTACK OF THE CLONES that I'll always remember and cherish!

Amongst the audience (which apparently also included popular UK film critic Barry Norman (who seemingly liked the film and gave it a decentish review) and his daughter, Emma), my attention was particularly caught on two people: verbally the most well known UK Prequel haters, TV chat show host/ comic book geek Jonathan Ross, and actor/writer/film-maker Simon Pegg-I'd like to now happily re-remind both of them if they're reading this, who were sitting in seats near me in the middle stalls area, that they were amongst the people doing all the cheering, shouting and laughing, and the pair certainly seemed to enjoy talking about the film amongst a throng of other fans in the bright daylight sun outside of the cinema once the morning show had ended. ATTACK OF THE CLONES couldn't have been that bad a viewing experience based on my visual experience of them, though they happily slagged the film off afterwards for years to come: which betrays some serious double standards if you ask me! Ah well, I suppose you could put it all down to the fickleness of being a celebrity!

UPDATE: 16/1/2010. Once more, ITV showed the UK cut print of the film with the missing Boba head butt on Obi-Wan. And, just prior to the film coming on, the ITV announcer warned that there were scenes in the film that might be cosidered scary for young children!